It is already known from the prior art the use of video game peripheral devices for increasing playful and sports interactions, rendering the practice of video games more realistic. Thus, there has been seen a development of platforms and interactive balance boards.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/261696 describes an interactive platform able to detect the weight of a user as well as evaluate, from the distribution of this weight on its different pressure sensors, the center of gravity of the user, and send these signals to a game console which then retranscribes them in a video game. This device cannot however, inform of the user position when the latter is not on the platform, thus, limiting the sports and playful applications. On the other hand, the platform is steady and does not oscillate, rendering it unusable in its present state as a balance platform. Could it be usable, by adding an accessory under its lower side for example, it does not have the type of sensors which make it possible to detect the angular variations to which it is subjected to with a high enough resolution and hence to retranscribe them adequately in a program or video game.
Document EP1691897 describes a platform surrounded with a mat that is sensitive to pressure. Such a device makes it possible to know the position of a user when he/she is on the platform and when he/she is around it within the limits of said mat. However, the use, in a gymnastics setting, of a pressure-sensitive mat presents drawbacks. In fact, the mat may during sports practice, fold over and thus become both imprecise in terms of positioning of the user and cause him/her to fall. On the other hand, the positioning of the user is determined with respect to the activation of predefined areas on the mat: these areas hence cannot be adapted in real time by the game software according to the type of exercise carried out. Furthermore, the positioning precision of the user increases according to the number of areas on the mat, and hence the manufacturing complexity of the device as well as its cost. On the other hand, the use of the device requires that the user has at least, in front of his/her television set, a vacant surface equal to that of the mat, which may not always be the case. Finally, from a commercial viewpoint, current trends privilege compact objects of reduced size, however, the mat will make the assembly seem large.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,690 describes a balance board comprised of an upper portion having a convex lower surface, resting on a base, such that the angular variations of the balance board, on which the user stands, are detected and retransmitted to a digital processing unit. Such a balance board cannot however indicate the position of the user if the latter is not on the board, nor can it indicate the weight of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,397 describes a device provided with a positioning means which detects when the user moves away from the defined area, indicated as generally being a vertical axis, located on the platform. Similarly, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/242390 describes a device constituted of a concave surface on which the user stands, and such that the position of the user on said surface is known. The positioning means described do not detect the position of the feet of the user around the device, which constitutes essential information for controlling gymnastic choreographies with platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,391 describes a running mat provided with a device making it possible to detect the distance of the user located on the mat, with respect to the front and back of the apparatus, and adjust the travelling speed of the mat accordingly. Such a device makes it possible to know certain positions of the user when he/she is on the device, but not around it, and even less the positioning of the feet of the user around the device.
It generally appears that no document from the prior art provides an interactive device, of platform-type for gymnastic applications which make it possible for use as a reference accessory for practicing interactive gymnastics on and around the platform.